


Someone I Have Never Known

by enigmaticblue



Category: Eureka
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-08-18
Updated: 2010-08-18
Packaged: 2017-10-11 03:43:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/107967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enigmaticblue/pseuds/enigmaticblue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Funny thing about amnesia—everybody gets a second chance to make a first impression.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Someone I Have Never Known

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Wild Card square for hc_bingo, prompt: amnesia, and for enmuse, who said she wanted amnesia!fic, Jack losing his memories, and Jack/Nathan. Title from The Bravery's, "Time Won't Let Me Go"

When he woke, the overhead lights were too bright, and he no sooner opened his eyes before closing them again.

“Hang on, Carter.” He identified the voice as belonging to a woman, not young, not old. “I’m going to dim the lights a little; that should help.”

He kept his eyes squeezed tightly shut, puzzling over what she’d called him. Carter: was it a last name, or a first name?

“Okay, try it again.”

Slowly, tentatively, he opened his eyes and saw a woman staring down at him—dark eyes, dark hair, and a brilliant smile. “Hey. How are you feeling?”

“My head hurts,” he admitted. “And I’m kind of thirsty.”

She reached for something outside his line of sight and handed him a glass of water. “Slowly,” she cautioned him.

He sipped as ordered and watched her beneath half-lowered eyelids. “Do you remember what happened?” she asked.

Handing the glass back to her, he shook his head. “No, not really.”

“Do you remember putting on the ATS?”

“The what-now?”

“The therapy device that Beverly asked Zoe to use.”

He shook his head silently.

  
She frowned. “What _do_ you remember, Carter?”

“Uh...”

Her tone gentled. “Do you know where you are?”

“The hospital?” he hazarded. His memory was patchy, but he seemed to recall being in a hospital before, even though the machines surrounding them now were higher-tech than in his hazy past.

Her lips compressed tightly, and he could see the worry in her eyes. “Okay. Do you remember your name?”

The information filtered back to him—Jack Carter. Carter was his last name. He said as much, and the woman nodded. “Right. Do you know what year it is?”

Jack closed his eyes, his head throbbing harder. “2005?”

“Okay, Jack.” Her voice was unbearably gentle. “It’s going to be fine. I want you to lie back and rest now.”

Jack had no idea who she was, or why he should trust her, but he didn’t see that he had a choice. The pain wouldn’t let him think clearly, and he was content to allow someone else to take charge for the moment.

“Open your eyes for me, Sheriff.” The deep, rough voice above him had him forcing his eyelids up. “And hold still.”

The man—dark hair and beard, green eyes, tall, Jack noted, wanting to be able to recognize him later—tilted Jack’s head and shone a light into his eyes. “I thought she was the doctor,” Jack said, blinking.

“She is. I have a slightly different area of expertise, and since Dr. Barlowe is out of town, you’re stuck with me.” He released Jack’s chin. “We’re going to need to get you in for some more scans. Do you think you can stay awake?”

“Does it make a difference?”

“If you’re too sleepy, we’ll wait until later,” he replied. “We need you to be conscious for these.”

Jack took stock and decided that he could manage. “I’m awake.”

“Do you know who I am?”

Jack couldn’t parse the tone of his voice, or the expression on the man’s face. He seemed—disappointed, maybe, but Jack didn’t know him well enough to say for sure. He’d been trained to read people, to read situations—hadn’t he? He had worked in law enforcement; he’d been a marshal.

 

Bits and pieces of his life kept floating back to Jack, but he had no context, either for his past or his present; it was all too jumbled.

 

The man studying him so intently had called him “sheriff,” though, and that was a piece of information he hadn’t had before.

“No,” Jack finally admitted. “Sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it,” he said. “Allison Blake was here when you woke up. I’m Dr. Nathan Stark.”

“You’re another medical doctor?”

“No, I’m looking into why the ATS malfunctioned,” Dr. Stark replied. “Allison is the medical doctor, but she’s talking to your daughter and ex-wife.”

“Abby’s here?” That news caused Jack to struggle to a sitting position. “And Zoe?”

“They’re just outside. Allison’s taking care of them. Easy, Sheriff.” Dr. Stark’s hand on Jack’s shoulder had him lying back on the hospital bed.

 

“But they’re okay?”

“They weren’t the ones who tried on the ATS with a concussion,” Dr. Stark replied. “Just sit tight, and I’ll get the MRI ready.”

Jack closed his eyes, just for a moment, wondering how serious his injury had been. It must have been bad to have the doctor so worried, and to have Abby and Zoe outside. The last Jack remembered they had both hated his guts.

“Okay, Carter, up you go.” Dr. Stark was back, and he hauled Jack up onto his feet and supported him over to another bed. “Just lay back.”

“And think of England?” Jack suggested, thinking that the situation, and all those involved, were far too serious.

The corners of Dr. Stark’s mouth twitched. “If you like.”

Jack closed his eyes and listened to the whirring of the machine above him. When it stopped, Dr. Stark was right there again, helping him sit up and walking him back over to his original bed.

“Abby and Zoe are still outside?” He fought to keep his eyes open. Jack thought he should probably stay awake to talk to Abby and Zoe, to at least say hello. When had he seen them last? Of course, he couldn’t remember.

“Allison told them that you needed to rest. She sent everyone else home as well, so you should have some privacy.” Dr. Stark’s low voice was soothing, even if Jack had no clue who “everyone else” was.

Jack had no idea what time of day, or what day of the week it was, nor did he know who “everyone” might be, so he asked about the only two people he knew. “But they’re okay?”

“They weren’t the ones who fried their brains,” Dr. Stark replied. “You should get some sleep, Jack.”

“You’ll wake me when you need me?”

“Of course.” Dr. Stark’s hand brushed his forehead. “Sleep, Sheriff.”

~~~~~

Nathan stood next to Henry as they leaned over a table in Henry’s lab, the ATS in pieces in front of them. “There are no mechanical defects that I could find,” Henry said, poking at one of the computer chips. “Whatever happened was organic, probably the result of the interface between Jack’s brain and the device.”

 

“What’s the verdict?” Allison asked as she joined them.

“We don’t know,” Nathan admitted. “Something about the ATS and Jack’s concussion combined resulted in the memory loss and confusion.”

Allison stared at the MRIs hanging in front of the light boxes on the wall. “He’s different.”

“So I noticed.” Nathan had no idea what to do with a Jack Carter who didn’t verbally spar with him at every opportunity. He hadn’t much liked the lost, vulnerable expression on Carter’s face when he’d asked after Abby and Zoe either.

  
“He doesn’t remember Eureka at all,” Allison observed.

“Jack’s lucky he woke up,” Henry stated flatly. “It could be that his memory loss is part of a defense mechanism that protected him from further damage.”

Allison crossed her arms in front of her chest as she studied the MRIs. “There’s certainly no medical reason for the memory loss. I’m not sure I can do anything for him. What about reversing the effects with the ATS?”

Nathan shared a look with Henry, and then shrugged. “It’s possible. The ATS was never supposed to impact memory like this. Without knowing why Carter was affected the way he was, it’s impossible to know how to reverse it.”

“Traumatic amnesia is a possibility, then,” Allison said. “Maybe something he saw?”

“It’s possible,” Henry admitted. “I think the best we can do is continue to study the ATS and hope that Carter’s memory returns given time. Nathan and I will keep working on a way to reverse the effects.”

 

“Feel free to draft Fargo to help,” Allison replied. “And let me know if there’s anything else you need, Henry.” She covered her mouth as she yawned. “And now, I think it’s time for all of us to go home.”

 

Nathan thought about protesting, or asking whether Carter would be okay on his own, but he kept his mouth shut, although he stopped back by the infirmary on his way out of the building. Allison had dispersed the crowd that had gathered to wait for news of Carter’s condition, and only a few medical personnel remained.

 

For once, the beds—other than the one Carter occupied—were empty; Nathan knew it was too much to hope for to think it might stay that way. He would certainly appreciate a few quiet days to get some work done, though.

 

The streets of Eureka were deserted on this side of midnight, and Nathan sped all the way home, his BMW’s engine purring. Once home, he peeled his suit off and poured a double shot of bourbon. He slammed it back, wanting to forget about Carter.

Nathan had no idea when Carter had come to occupy so much of his thoughts. If he wasn’t fighting with the sheriff, Nathan was competing with him for Allison’s attention, or almost—not quite—flirting with him.

Carter’s memory loss changed the dynamics of their relationship, and of Nathan’s relationship with Allison. It left him feeling unsettled and out of sorts.

Sleep eluded him when he finally went to bed. He woke up every half hour, his dreams vivid and chaotic, even though he couldn’t remember them when he woke. His subconscious often attempted to work out his conflicting emotions through dreams, since he so rarely dealt with them any other way.

 

Intellectual problems kept him awake, high on adrenalin and the promise of an answer, but Nathan had never been especially good with _feelings_.

When he woke up for the last time, the clock read 5:30 in red, glowing numbers, and Nathan heaved a sigh as he rolled out of bed. He could tell already that it was going to be one of those days.

Nathan dressed with care, as though donning armor, hoping that the Armani suit and tie would deflect attention away from the dark circles under his eyes.

 

He forced himself to stay away from the infirmary and Carter for the first couple of hours. By 8:30, Nathan decided he could justify his presence down there. He _did_ have some expertise in virtual environments, and he’d already offered his assistance.

 

Abby and Zoe were bracketing Carter, where he sat on the edge of his infirmary bed, still wearing yesterday’s scrubs. Carter, who usually telegraphed his feelings to anyone with eyes, was stone-faced as Abby spoke, her arms crossed tightly across her chest.

 

Nathan hesitated for a moment before deciding to eavesdrop, knowing that he was infringing on Carter’s privacy, but too curious to allow such niceties to dissuade him.

 

“I just think that Zoe might be better off with me,” Abby was saying. “If you don’t remember—”

 

“I remember enough,” Carter said, interrupting her. “Look, maybe—maybe Zoe should be the one to make the decision.”

 

Zoe turned to her mother while sidling closer to Carter, subtly announcing where her loyalties lay. “My friends are here, Mom. I’m happy here, and Dad needs me.”

 

“I don’t think that’s a good enough reason for you to stay, Zoe,” Abby objected. “Just because—”

 

Nathan decided to interrupt her before Abby said something that all the Carters would regret. Although he wouldn’t claim to _like_ Carter, Nathan didn’t want to see the man kicked when he was already down.

 

“Sheriff,” he said, closing the distance between his hiding spot and the Carters as though he’d just arrived. “Feeling any better?”

 

“I feel fine,” Carter insisted. “I just can’t remember the last couple years of my life.”

 

“Dr. Carter? May I have a word?” Nathan told himself that the intervention was necessary; Carter stood a better chance of getting his memories back if in familiar surroundings, and having Zoe stay with him certainly couldn’t hurt.

 

Really, Nathan just wanted things to go back to normal.

 

“You understand that the sheriff is more likely to regain his memories if we change as little about his environment as possible,” Nathan stated flatly.

 

Abby frowned. “That doesn’t mean Zoe should bear the burden of taking care of him. She’s a teenage girl.”

 

Nathan looked past her to Carter and Zoe, who had hopped up on the bed next to Carter, her shoulder pressed into his. A little of the misery had fled from Carter’s eyes, and the muscle in his jaw had stopped ticking. Abby followed Nathan’s gaze, and her face softened as a smile crossed Jack’s face in response to something Zoe said.

 

“I’ll talk to Zoe,” Abby finally said. “Jack’s probably right about it needing to be her choice.”

 

Nathan nodded. “If you’ll excuse me, I have a meeting.”

 

This was Eureka, Nathan told himself as he hurried out. Carter would get his memories back, and then everything would return to the status quo. Nathan could go back to trading insults with Carter, and competing for Allison’s attention, and winning every time.

 

~~~~~

 

Jack had no idea what had happened in the last couple of years to give him his daughter back, but he was grateful for it. He kept wanting to pinch himself, to make sure he wasn’t dreaming, because Zoe was willingly sitting next to him, joking that at least this way, Jack wouldn’t whether she was supposed to be grounded.

 

“Was I planning on grounding you?” he asked with a grin.

 

“No.” She’d gotten a strange expression on her face, rueful and fond all at once. “But I’d been thinking about grounding _you_ before the whole coma thing.”

 

Jack frowned; the doctors hadn’t mentioned anything about a coma. “How long was I out?”

 

“Just a couple of days,” Zoe replied, but Jack could hear the fear in her voice, and he remembered the first time Zoe had run away, before he’d tracked her down again. It had been the longest three days of his life.

 

“Long couple of days, huh?” Jack asked.

 

“Yeah, really long.”

 

Jack didn’t get a chance to ask Zoe why she had been angry with him before Abby returned. “Come on, Zoe. I think the doctors want another look at your dad, and we need to talk.”

 

Abby wouldn’t meet Jack’s eyes, which he took as a bad sign, and they left him alone. Jack wondered where his clothes were, and how soon he could get out of the infirmary.

 

“Hey, Carter, how are you feeling?” Dr. Blake approached him with a smile. “Sorry I’m late, but Kevin had a bad morning.”

 

“Kevin?”

 

“My son.” Dr. Blake made a face. “I’m sorry.”

 

Jack shrugged off the apology. “I’m probably going to be getting that a lot.”

 

“Have you seen Abby and Zoe yet?” she asked gently.

 

“Yeah, they were here. I think Abby’s going to take Zoe back to L.A. with her.” Jack throttled the emotion that rose up in him. He’d had custody of Zoe, and he couldn’t remember any of it. Given Zoe’s response, Jack must have been doing something right, and now he wouldn’t have a chance to find out what that might be.

 

“I’m sorry, Carter,” Dr. Blake replied. “I know how much having Zoe here meant to you.”

 

He swallowed hard; he _didn’t_ know how much it had meant, but Jack could imagine.

 

“Sorry.” Dr. Blake seemed to have realized that she’d touched a nerve, and she squeezed his shoulder. “I’m sure this is difficult for you.”

 

“I feel like it’s all there,” Jack confessed. “Like when you try to remember a word, and it’s right on the tip of your tongue.”

 

“Hang in there, Carter.” She patted his shoulder again. “Let me go find your clothes, and then we’ll see about getting you checked out.”

 

When Dr. Blake brought back a pile of clothing, she said, “Zoe brought a change of clothes for you this morning. Also, I called Jo, and she’s going to drive you home. I don’t want you working or operating a vehicle for 72 hours, okay?”

 

“Sure,” he replied, for lack of anything better to say.

 

“And I talked with Vince. He’s going to save the welcome back party until you’re a little steadier on your feet.”

 

“Great.” Jack had no idea who she was talking about, or why anyone would throw him a party just for being in a coma for a couple of days.

 

“I want to see you back here tomorrow,” Dr. Blake said. “Have Sarah call Jo, or ask Zoe to bring you in. I can always have someone drive you back home.” She paused. “I know this is confusing right now, but give it a little time.”

 

Jack nodded, trying to appear as though he knew what she was talking about. “Right.”

 

“I’ll be back in a few minutes.” Dr. Blake disappeared, and Jack went behind the privacy screen to change.

 

The worst part, Jack thought, was how strange everything was. Even his clothes were unfamiliar; he must have bought them after he’d moved to Eureka—or sometime the year before. He didn’t go shopping all that often, and the idea that he didn’t even recognize his jeans disturbed him as much as anything else had. And the only familiar faces—Abby and Zoe’s—would soon be gone.

 

When he emerged, Dr. Blake was talking to a woman wearing a tan sheriff’s uniform, and a dark-skinned man in slacks and a collarless shirt. “Hey,” he said awkwardly, not knowing how to address any of them. He stuck his hands in his pockets, having no idea whether to introduce himself, or wait for them to fill him in.

 

“Jack, this is your deputy, Jo Lupo,” Allison said, smoothing the way. “And this is Dr. Henry Deacon.”

 

He smiled hesitantly. “Hi.”

 

“Hey, Carter,” Lupo replied. “How are you feeling?”

 

“About like how you’d expect.” Jack had a feeling that he was going to get really tired of answering that question in short order.

 

“Jo knows you’re having trouble remembering, and Henry is looking into getting your memories back,” Allison assured him.

 

Dr. Deacon gave Jack a reassuring smile. “We’re working as hard as we can to get you back to normal, Jack.”

 

“And I can cover for you until you’re cleared to come back,” Lupo added.

 

Jack wanted to ask, “Come back to where?” or maybe, “Was I ever normal?” but he suspected that the sarcasm wouldn’t go over well. Instead, he asked, “Have you seen Zoe or Abby? I want to let them know I’m leaving.”

 

“We’ll pass the message along if I see them,” Allison assured him. “Just head on home, and get some rest.”

 

Jack decided that now probably wasn’t the time to point out that he had been “resting” for the last two days. He was decidedly awake. “Thanks,” he said, defaulting to his old rule of thumb—when in doubt, be polite.

 

“Come on, Carter. Let’s blow this joint,” Lupo said.

 

“See you later, Jack,” Dr. Deacon called.

 

Jack waved, not knowing how else to respond, and followed Lupo out, wondering if he’d see Dr. Stark before he left. Jack didn’t think he’d reacted so strongly to another man since college, and he was curious as to what sort of relationship they’d had.

 

Jack had no idea whether he’d pursued either Dr. Blake or Dr. Stark, although he felt some attraction to both of them now. But both Dr. Stark and Dr. Blake continued to call him by his last name, not “Jack,” suggesting that even if he’d had something more than friendship with either in the past, he didn’t now. Jack wasn’t going to step into that minefield without having some idea of the lay of the land first.

 

“Got anything you want to ask?” Lupo asked when they’d climbed into the Jeep marked “Sheriff’s Department.”

 

“Am I seeing anyone?” Jack asked before he could think better of the question.

 

Lupo smirked. “You’ve been pining after Dr. Blake for a while.”

 

Jack frowned. “What about Dr. Stark?”

 

“Dr. Blake’s ex-husband?” Lupo asked.

 

Jack winced. “I see.”

 

“You guys fight a lot,” she replied, apparently relenting. “Mostly over Dr. Blake.”

 

“Of course we do,” Jack muttered, deciding that now was good time to change the subject. “Dr. Blake was saying something about Vincent throwing a party?”

 

“Vincent runs the local restaurant, Café Diem,” she replied. “And there are a lot of people around here who wanted to celebrate the fact that you’re out of your coma, Carter.”

 

“Really?” Jack asked.

 

“Really,” Lupo replied. “Dr. Blake convinced Vincent to put the celebration off to give you time to acclimate.”

 

“Thanks.” Jack didn’t know that he could handle a bunch of introductions now. When Lupo pulled up in front of what looked to be an old World War II bomb shelter, Jack raised his eyebrows. “I know I’ve got amnesia, but are you sure this is where I live?”

 

“Relax, Carter,” Lupo replied with a grin. “It’s bigger on the inside.”

 

“Right,” he drawled.

 

“Oh, and by the way, if no one’s said anything yet, you’ve got a smart house—Self Actuated Residential Automated Habitat,” Jo said. “I think SARAH knows that you’ve got amnesia, but her feelings will probably still be hurt if you don’t remember her.”

 

“SARAH? Dr. Blake mentioned a SARAH.”

 

“Yeah, that’s your house,” Lupo said. “Trust me, you want to keep SARAH happy.”

 

“And if I don’t?” Jack asked, wanting a picture of the worst-case scenario.

 

“You don’t want to know,” Lupo replied. “Trust me.”

 

“Sure.” Jack felt as though everyone was asking for his trust—Dr. Blake, Dr. Stark, Lupo—they kept asking him to take their word for how the last few years of his life had played out. “Thanks for the ride,” he finally said.

 

“No problem,” Lupo replied. “I’ll be happy to drive you into GD tomorrow. Dr. Blake said you’d need a ride.”

 

“Sure.” Jack got out of the car with some trepidation, climbing down into the bunker and pausing as the door swung open as he approached. “Hello?”

 

“Hello, Sheriff Carter,” a feminine voice greeted him. “It’s good to have you home again. Would you like some lunch?”

 

“I could eat,” Jack replied, having no idea where to direct his reply, and opting to look at the ceiling.

 

“I’ll make something,” SARAH replied.

 

“Thanks.” Jack called out, and then flopped down on the couch, feeling like ten kinds of idiot.

 

He knew that Dr. Blake wanted him to rest, but Jack wasn’t tired. He had no idea what he was supposed to do for the next few days until she cleared him to go back to work.

  
And then, Jack would apparently go back to a job that he had no idea how to do, because he’d _forgotten _the last two years of his life.

 

“This sucks,” he muttered.

 

The front door swung open and Zoe entered. “Hey, Dad. Dr. Blake said that Jo drove you home.”

 

“Yeah, she did,” Jack replied. “Did you come to grab your stuff?”

 

He felt resigned to the inevitable outcome, unable to articulate a reason for Zoe to stay, other than the fact that he wanted a chance to remember how they’d managed to get past Zoe’s anger, and his screw-ups.

 

“Dad.” Zoe sounded exasperated, which brought back memories, but her expression was affectionate. “Mom said I could make my own decision, and I’m staying here.”

 

Jack blinked. “I thought—”

 

“Yeah, apparently Dr. Stark said something that made her think,” Zoe replied, plopping down next to him. “You can thank him later.”

 

“I will,” Jack said. “I meant to ask—why were you angry with me? You said you wanted to ground me before.”

 

Zoe sighed. “You made a deal with Mom that I would go back and live with her after spending a year with you.”

 

Something was missing from that explanation. “And you wanted to stay?”

 

“I wanted you to make Mom let me stay,” Zoe replied. “It’s no big deal, Dad. We got it worked out.”

 

“Zoe…” Jack fumbled for the right words. “I always wanted custody, but I also wanted what was best for you.”

 

Zoe smiled, apparently understanding what he couldn’t quite manage to say. “Yeah. I think I figured that out.”

 

“So, is there any chance you could catch me up on the last two years?” Jack asked.

 

“SARAH?” Zoe called out. “How much video footage do you have?”

 

“Quite a bit, Zoe,” SARAH replied. “I have pictures, and I’ve gained access to personnel files to answer any questions that Sheriff Carter may have.”

 

“Great,” Jack said with a grin, deciding that having a smart house might actually be pretty cool.

 

~~~~~

 

Nathan found it something of a relief to know that Carter was out of Global Dynamics, sent home to recover under SARAH’s watchful eye. If Carter was gone, Nathan didn’t have to think about him; he could, in fact, get any number of things done.

 

Nathan managed to put the problem of Carter out of his mind, focusing instead on his newest proposal for the DOD, updated safety protocols for one of the off-site labs that had recently had a containment problem, and checking in on various department heads.

 

Nathan had told Henry to let him know if he needed help with the ATS, and so managed to forget about Carter entirely until he ran into the sheriff in the lobby the next morning.

 

“Dr. Stark,” Carter said pleasantly. “I wasn’t sure I’d be seeing you today.”

 

Nathan blinked. “I’ve been busy.”

 

“No big deal,” Carter replied. “Dr. Blake wanted me here to get checked out again, but…” He trailed off, his expression sheepish.

 

“You can’t find the infirmary,” Nathan supplied.

 

Carter nodded. “Yeah, I know I was just there yesterday, but—”

 

“It’s possible that you’re having some trouble with your short term memory,” Nathan replied. “I was headed in that general direction anyway.”

 

Carter fell into step next to him. “I wanted to thank you for whatever you said to Abby yesterday.”

 

“I take it Zoe’s staying,” Nathan replied, trying to keep his voice neutral.

 

“Yeah, she said she wanted to.” There was a kind of wonder in Carter’s voice, and Nathan tried to ignore how appealing it was. “It means a lot to me, so maybe I could buy you a drink sometime.”

 

The last time Carter had offered to buy him a drink had been after Callister, framed as an awkward peace offering. Nathan had dismissed the invitation out of hand, unable to fathom a world in which he and Carter would be friendly, let alone friends.

 

And then there had been the Artifact, and the MACAA, and Carter in a coma—and suddenly being friends with Carter didn’t seem like such an asinine idea.

 

He must have taken too long to respond, because Carter’s head went down, and he shrugged. “Hey, no big deal. Forget I asked. I think I can find my way from here.”

 

“No,” Nathan said quickly. “I’d like to, although I doubt Allie is going to let you drink when you’ve still got a head injury.”

 

Carter shrugged off that observation. “Then I’ll have coffee.”

 

Nathan nodded. “Café Diem, eight o’clock tonight?”

 

“Works for me.” Carter smiled, his expression self-deprecating. “If I had plans, I don’t remember what they were.”

 

“SARAH probably would have informed you,” Nathan replied, stopping outside the infirmary doors. “I’ll see you tonight, Sheriff.”

 

Carter gave him an odd look. “Yeah, sure.”

 

“Look, Carter,” Nathan began. “This is Eureka. They’re going to figure out how to get your memories back.”

 

“I’m sure I’d believe that if I didn’t have amnesia,” Carter replied. “But thanks.”

 

Carter walked through the automatic doors into the infirmary, his shoulders bowed, and Nathan was struck by how much had changed. He wouldn’t have tried to offer comfort a few days ago, and Carter wouldn’t have accepted it even if he had.

 

Nathan shook off his discomfort, and refocused on the grant proposal he’d been formulating. He had better things to do than worry about Carter.

 

~~~~~

 

“So, still feeling okay?”

 

Dr. Blake was looking him over carefully, and Jack shrugged. “Nothing has changed from yesterday.”

 

“That’s actually good news,” Dr. Blake replied. “I’d be more concerned if you were having trouble with your short term memory.”

 

“I had to ask Dr. Stark to show me the way to the infirmary,” Jack confessed.

 

“Global Dynamics is a big place,” Dr. Blake soothed. “How’s Zoe?”

 

“Good.” Jack shrugged. “We gave her another day off of school so she could say goodbye to Abby.”

 

“I’m glad Zoe’s staying.” Dr. Blake pulled a rolling stool over to the exam table and perched on it. “We’ve gone over your scans and the data Henry pulled from the ATS, Jack, but we have no way to reverse the memory loss right now. We’re going to keep looking for solutions, but for right now, you may want to think about how you’re going to deal with it long term.”

 

Jack took a deep breath. “Okay. SARAH filled me in on as much as she could.”

 

“I think that’s a step in the right direction,” Dr. Blake said gently.

 

Jack scrubbed his hands over his face. “What else would you suggest?”

 

“Jack—”

 

“I don’t even know what to call you!” The words come spilling out of his mouth before he could check himself, a habit that had gotten him into trouble more than once in the past. “For that matter, I don’t know what to call Dr. Stark, or Deputy Lupo, or Dr. Deacon. I’m scared as hell I’m going to put my foot into something that I’d know to avoid otherwise, and nobody—people won’t understand, because they’ll think I’m supposed to _know_ them.”

 

Dr. Blake’s face had gone soft and sympathetic, and Jack didn’t know if that was better or worse than her cool professionalism. “You call me Allison,” she said gently. “And it’s Jo and Henry. I’m pretty sure you call Nathan by his last name most of the time, although I don’t know that for sure. And this is Eureka, Carter. People will understand.”

 

“You know, that might actually mean something if I remembered the last two years of my life.” Jack rubbed his eyes. “I don’t know what else to do.”

 

Dr. Blake—no, Allison—reached out and grabbed his hands. “It’s weird for us, too. I know that doesn’t make you feel any better, but you’re an integral part of this town. You not remembering…” She sighed. “It’s not easy for anybody.”

 

“What am I supposed to do?” Jack asked.

 

“I don’t know,” she replied. “But word is already getting around, and trust me, Carter: weirder things happen here all the time.”

 

“People keep saying that,” Jack muttered.

 

“Saying what?”

 

“To trust them.” Jack met her eyes. “It’s hard.”

 

“I can only imagine,” Allison replied. She stood and pulled him into a hug, and Jack let himself cling to her for a moment, wishing that Allison felt more familiar. “Hang in there.”

 

“I’m going to try.” He pulled back and gave her a hopeful look. “So, does this mean I’m cleared?”

 

“For light duty only,” Allison decided. “And I do mean _light_.”

 

“Will do,” he promised, although he suspected that if amnesia wasn’t the weirdest thing that happened around Eureka, _light_ duty might entail more than just paperwork. “And alcohol?”

 

“A beer would be fine,” Allison replied with a smile. “Get out of here, and be sure to talk to Jo about getting cleared on the weapons again. You’ll need to retake the test if you’re going to use anything other than your typical sidearm.”

 

Jack groaned. “I hate tests.”

 

~~~~~

 

Nathan arrived at Café Diem early; after dropping Carter off at the infirmary, his load had been refreshingly light, and he’d mostly been left alone. He was rarely that productive while in the office, and other than the unfinished business with Carter, his desk was clear.

 

But until Henry—or someone else—had figured out what had happened with the ATS, Nathan’s business with Carter would remain unfinished.

 

He glanced up from his tablet as the door to the café opened again; he’d never admit it, but Nathan had been looking for the sheriff for the past fifteen minutes, and growing more anxious by the second. Nathan couldn’t help but think that this was a very bad idea.

 

Everyone seemed to turn to look at the sheriff when he entered Café Diem, and several people immediately rose from their seats to greet him. Nathan could read both agitation and gratification on Carter’s face as he shook hands with all of them.

 

Vincent appeared at Carter’s side after a few minutes, shooing most of the others off, and leading him over to Nathan’s table in the corner. “Here you are, Sheriff. Can I get you anything to drink?”

 

“A beer?” Jack asked, sounding hopeful.

 

“Coming right up. I’ve got your favorite on tap. Dr. Stark?”

 

“Another glass of wine, please,” Nathan replied, leaning across the table slightly. “You know, Carter, the two of us sharing a table is probably stranger than amnesia.”

 

Carter’s eyebrows went up and his lips twitched. “If we’re going to share a table, shouldn’t you call me Jack?”

 

Nathan had wondered how this evening would play out—whether Carter would be polite but distant, or whether this tenuous _thing_ between them would solidify and become something more.

 

And although Nathan didn’t care much for philosophy—he had better things on which to spend his considerable intellect—he had to wonder how Carter’s perspective had shifted, _would_ shift, without the last two years for context.

 

How would Carter’s relationships change, beginning from a point where Nathan had done him a small favor, where Allison was his doctor, where Zoe wanted to live with him and not her mother?

 

If Carter’s memories returned, Nathan wondered, would they be able to go back to how things were before? Would they _want_ to?

 

Although Nathan took calculated risks all the time, there were too many variables at work here to accurately predict the outcome.

 

All of those thoughts flitted through his mind in a couple of seconds, long enough for the pause to be obvious, if not rude. “Jack,” Nathan confirmed finally. “Of course.”

 

If Jack noticed that Nathan didn’t extend the same invitation, he didn’t say anything about it. “So, has something changed between me getting to town and now?”

 

“Plenty has changed, Sheriff,” Nathan replied, not quite understanding what Jack was asking.

 

Vincent appeared at their table with their drinks, and Nathan watched as Jack took a sip of his beer and grinned. “That’s good stuff.”

 

“What would you gentlemen like for dinner?” Vincent asked.

 

“Whatever you’ve got on special,” Nathan replied.

 

“Your usual, Sheriff?” Vincent prompted when Jack appeared hesitant.

 

Jack shrugged. “I guess so. If it isn’t broken…”

 

“I’ll have your meals out shortly,” Vincent promised, hurrying off towards the kitchen.

 

“No, I mean what’s _changed_,” Jack explained, picking up the thread of their conversation again. “From what Jo said, I was interested in Allison and I hated you, and neither is true right now. So, what changed?”

 

Nathan didn’t quite know how to answer that; so much had changed over the last year—_he_ had changed so much. He’d lost Callister, and Allison, and Kim, and control of GD. He didn’t know how to explain. Finally, he asked, “Why did your marriage end?”

 

“We—we just grew apart,” Jack said after a moment’s thought. “It’s hard to explain.”

 

Nathan raised his eyebrows.

 

Jack huffed out a laugh. “Point taken.”

 

“When you remember, and you will, you’ll remember exactly why you hated me,” Nathan said, keeping his voice low. “Just like you’ll remember that Henry is your best friend, and that you were attracted to Allison. We’ll go back to where we were before.”

 

“But I’ll remember this, too,” Jack objected. “And I’ll remember that you talked to Abby, even though you didn’t have to. That means something.”

 

“Maybe.” Nathan wasn’t willing to go further than that. “I guess we’ll find out.”

 

Whatever else he might have said was interrupted by Henry’s arrival. “Jack, Nathan,” he said. “Do you mind if I join you?”

 

“No, not at all,” Jack replied, although his smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Have a seat.”

 

“I think I have some good news,” Henry began before being interrupted by Vincent.

 

“For Dr. Stark, the stuffed chicken breast with warm potato salad and steamed vegetables, and for you, Sheriff, the bacon cheeseburgers with fries.”

 

Vincent’s grin increased tenfold with Jack’s enthusiastic, “This looks awesome. Thanks, Vincent.”

 

“Can I get you anything, Henry?” Vincent asked.

 

“No, I already ate. Thanks, Vince.”

 

As soon as he was gone, Henry continued, “As I was saying, I think I may have discovered why the ATS erased Jack’s memories, and I _may_ be able to reverse the effects.”

 

Jack made an enthusiastic noise around his rather large bite. “Great,” he said once he swallowed. “Any idea of how long?”

 

“That is a little more problematic,” Henry admitted. “While I’ve discovered the _why_, I haven’t completely figured out the _how_. I’ll need you to come in for some more tests tomorrow.”

 

Jack shrugged. “Anything I can do to help.”

 

“Great. I have a meeting to get to,” Henry said, rising and clapping Jack on the shoulder. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Jack. You two enjoy your dinner.”

 

Nathan nodded in response, his mouth full of chicken stuffed with spinach and feta. “If anyone can find a solution, it’s Henry,” he observed, knowing that Jack’s inexperience with Eureka and its citizens would make it difficult for him to trust that the problem would be solved.

 

“Thanks.” Jack paused for a moment. “And thanks for having dinner with me tonight. Zoe had a study date with a friend, and I want to keep things as normal for her as possible.”

 

“Jack—” Nathan stopped. “If you need anything, you can ask me.”

 

Jack smiled. “Thanks. I appreciate it.”

 

And they ate the rest of their dinner in companionable silence.

 

~~~~~

 

Zoe raised her eyebrows as Jack came downstairs, making him feel even more like an imposter in the sheriff’s uniform.

 

“You know, I’m afraid to ask, but isn’t a sheriff usually an elected official?” Jack asked, deciding to preemptively change the subject.

 

“Sure, when the town isn’t super top secret, and isn’t run by the DOD,” Zoe replied. “How does it feel, being back on the job?”

 

“Like I’m living someone else’s life,” he admitted, answering the question he’d been hoping to avoid. Jack wondered whether he was confiding in Zoe too much, but she was the only familiar, non-insane part of this town.

 

Zoe smiled brightly, and there was a hint of sarcasm in her voice as she said, “Well, just do your best, and I’m sure you’ll be fine.”

 

Jack narrowed his eyes. “You’re quoting my own words back to me, aren’t you?”

 

Zoe grinned. “Sucks to be on that side of it, doesn’t it?”

 

Jack shook his head. “You know, if I said it, then it must be true.”

 

“Uh huh,” Zoe replied, ratcheting up the sarcasm another notch. “Come on. I need a ride to school.”

 

Jack grabbed his gun belt and slung it over his shoulder. “Better get going then.”

 

“Have a good day,” SARAH called as they left.

 

Jack chuckled and shook his head.

 

“What?” Zoe asked.

 

“Having a talking house? Still weird,” Jack replied.

 

Zoe laughed. “Yeah, that’s probably not even the weirdest thing you’ll see today.”

 

Jack followed Zoe’s directions to the school, and she climbed out, waving at him. “I’m going over to Pilar’s to study tonight, so I don’t need a ride after school.”

 

“See you by ten?” Jack inquired.

 

“Sure thing!”

 

He managed to find his way to the sheriff’s station without too much trouble. At least he didn’t have to call Jo for directions; Jack had a feeling that he’d never hear the end of it. Even amnesia would only get him so far with his deputy.

 

“Ready to take your test?” Jo greeted him cheerily.

 

Jack eyed the cup of coffee sitting on his desk. “Good morning, Deputy Lupo. Is the coffee a bribe?”

 

“No, the coffee and Danish on your desk is to keep you here for long enough to take the weapons exam,” Jo replied, pulling out a packet of papers. “Have a seat.”

 

Jack sat, mostly because he knew Jo could kick his ass six ways from Sunday. “Can’t we just wait until my memories come back?”

 

“Henry’s good, but he might not be able to work a miracle in this case, Carter,” Jo said sternly. “You want to use the big guns, you have to take the test.”

 

“Can’t I stick with my handgun?” Jack asked plaintively, taking a sip of his coffee. “I suck at written exams.”

 

“Tell you what, Carter. I’ll go over all the weapons with you, and then you can take the exam.” Jo gave him what she probably thought was an encouraging smile. “It’ll be fresh in your mind that way.”

 

Since Jack had spent the last three days of his downtime studying for this test—which he suspected was _still_ going to suck—he was probably as prepared as he was ever going to be.

 

“How many times did I have to take this before I passed the first time?” he asked.

 

Jo shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. All that matters is how you do now.”

 

“Three times?” Jack guessed. “Four?”

 

“Not that many,” Jo replied. “Come on, Carter. You’ll be fine.”

 

She walked him through the weapons one by one, and Jack was more than a little relieved when he could recall everything he’d been studying the last few days. He kept expecting to lose more memories, either of his past or the last few days. Jack feared that he would lose more and more of himself—more and more of his life—until there was nothing left.

 

“Okay,” Jack said as they finished up. “I think I’m ready.”

 

Jo grinned at him. “You passed with flying colors, Carter.”

 

Jack shook his head, puzzled. “But I thought—”

 

“You have to pass the test, but there’s no requirement that it be written.” Jo put the exam back in a drawer. “I thought about torturing you with the written exam, but I decided to go easy on you on account of the amnesia and all.”

 

“Thanks, Jo.”

 

Judging from the expression on Jo’s face, she hadn’t expected his sincere gratitude. “Hey, we’re partners,” Jo said. “You watch my back, I watch yours.”

 

“Yeah,” Jack managed. “So, anything else going on today?”

 

“We’re just waiting for calls,” Jo replied. “I’ll save our rounds for tomorrow.”

 

“What’s our chances for an emergency today?”

 

“It’s Eureka,” Jo replied. “So, I’d say pretty good.”

 

~~~~~

 

Nathan hadn’t seen Jack since their dinner at Café Diem, and he kept telling himself that it didn’t matter. Jack was probably busy getting settled back into his life. Besides, Nathan’s life was easier when Carter wasn’t around.

 

“We’ve been able to achieve significant progress on the design for the new R-17,” Nathan concluded as he went over his weekly report with Allison. “You can tell the general that we should have a finished product for him on schedule, if not before.”

 

Allison nodded, her expression pleased. “Very good, Nathan. Henry?”

 

“I’m still working on the defensive grid,” Henry replied. “I haven’t been able to make much progress on Jack’s problem, however. I’m still working on a way to utilize the ATS to reverse the damage.”

 

Allison nodded thoughtfully. “I see. Jo tells me that Jack seems to be settling in well. I’m sure he’d like his memories back, and I hate to say it, but it’s not a priority.”

 

“I realize that,” Henry replied. “But if I can figure out how to reverse Jack’s memory loss, we can actually expand the usage of the ATS.”

 

Allison considered Henry’s point for a moment. “All right. Keep working on it. Have a good night, you two.”

 

With that dismissal, Nathan rose from his chair. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Allison.”

 

Henry bid his own farewell and followed Nathan out. “How are you two doing with all of this?” Henry asked once they were out of the director’s office.

 

Nathan feigned ignorance. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

 

“You and Allison, Allison and Jack?” Henry prompted. “Jack’s memory loss changes the dynamic, doesn’t it?”

 

Nathan shook his head. “Everything will go back to normal soon enough.”

 

“Even if Jack gets his memories back,” Henry began. “Things may not go back to the way they were.”

 

“Why wouldn’t they?” Nathan kept his voice low. “We’re the same people.”

 

“You seemed to be enjoying dinner with one another the other night,” Henry observed. “The two of you were certainly getting along better than you usually do.”

 

Nathan glanced at Henry as they walked towards Section 3 and Henry’s lab. “He’s polite,” Nathan finally admitted.

 

“And courtesy is a dying art?” Henry teased.

 

“I refuse to kick him when he’s already down,” Nathan explained. “I’m not going to insult Carter unless he starts it.”

 

“And Carter is being polite, because you helped him out,” Henry replied knowingly.

 

Nathan shrugged. “It doesn’t matter.” They walked into Henry’s lab. “Do you need any help? I have a little time.”

 

“Come on in.”

 

If there was anything Nathan could appreciate about his demotion, it was the additional lab time, and the chance to work with Henry. Nathan had enjoyed being in charge, and he hadn’t wanted to give it up, but he’d accepted the consequences of his actions.

 

“If we recalibrated the settings,” Henry murmured. “Assuming Jack’s memory loss is due to trauma, and not brain damage—”

 

“That might be too much to assume,” Nathan muttered.

 

Henry shot him a quelling look, although his lips twitched. “Then we could task the ATS with helping Jack work through the trauma.”

 

“You’re assuming that it was Carter’s concussion, and not something inherent to him.”

 

“You saying I’ve got brain damage?”

 

Jack’s voice came from the doorway, and Nathan’s head shot up. “I’m saying that I have no idea what’s going on in your brain, Carter. What are you doing here?”

 

“I asked Dr. Blake to give me the ten-cent tour, but she was called away. She pointed me in this direction and suggested I get Dr. Deacon to escort me out,” Jack replied easily.

 

“It’s Henry, please. And I’m sure that Nathan would be happy to walk you out.” Henry couldn’t quite manage to hide his smirk.

 

Nathan considered ignoring Henry’s attempts at matchmaking—or whatever it was he was trying to do—but it _was_ Henry’s lab. “Fine. I’ll see you out, Carter.”

 

“I thought we had decided that you’d call me Jack.”

 

Nathan shot him a look out of the corner of his eye. “Jack—”

 

“Better already,” he joked.

 

Nathan shook his head. “You know, in a day or two, I’m going to do something that pisses you off, and then you’re going to hate me.”

 

“You already planning what that’s going to be?” Jack asked innocently.

 

“No, but that’s what we do.” Nathan eyed him. “You’re interested in Allison, as am I.”

 

“Funny, but she hasn’t given any indication that she’s interested in me.” Jack sounded positively cheerful about it. “Plus, she seems a little—I don’t know—intense.”

 

“It’s been a tough transition,” Nathan replied, automatically defending her.

 

“Transition from what?” Jack asked. Then, quickly said, “Oh, wait. Never mind.”

 

Nathan sighed. “Who gave you the story?”

 

“SARAH and Zoe caught me up between the two of them,” Jack replied. “So, it was different before?”

 

Nathan gave a studied, elegant shrug. “I was in charge, we butted heads. It’s going to happen again, Jack.”

 

“So we butt heads,” Jack responded with a grin. “It could be fun.”

 

Nathan stopped and stared at him. “Why are you doing this?” he demanded, his composure cracking in spite of his best efforts.

 

“Because it’s fun to see you out of sorts,” Jack said with a grin. “I think I can find my way out from here.”

 

Nathan stopped and watched Jack walked unerringly towards the lobby. He suspected that Jack had known how to get out the entire time.

 

And he couldn’t help the laugh that escaped.

 

~~~~~

 

During part of Jack’s tenure with the marshal service—either six or four years before, depending on who you asked—he’d been partnered with a man who was both smarter and better looking. And yet, Tom had been pissed as hell when they’d gone out after a tough case, and all the women had come onto Jack, in spite of his wedding ring. Jack had gotten a lot of mileage out of that one night.

 

Jack had enjoyed needling Tom, and had done so every chance he got. For some reason, Nathan Stark reminded him of his old partner, and beyond just the physical, too. Jack hadn’t been interested in Tom, but he was in Nathan.

 

Because if what Nathan had said was true—and they hated each other—then that made what he had done with Abby even more impressive.

 

Jack had some indication of why he hadn’t liked Stark much after the explosion, however. On the sixth day after his memory loss, Jack had been alone at the station when he received a call from a panicked scientist whose name he couldn’t remember.

 

Jo had been out on rounds, which meant that Jack had raced down to Global Dynamics alone, only to find Nathan Stark standing in the middle of the chaos in Section 4.

 

Although Jack found the site of the explosion easily enough, he still couldn’t keep the sections straight. Both Jo and Allison had attempted to explain the purpose of each section, but Jack hadn’t worked out how to keep them straight yet.

 

He was kind of hoping that he’d get his memories back before he had to.

 

“What the hell is going on?” Jack demanded.

 

“There was a small containment breach,” Stark replied, pausing to give directions to a couple of GD personnel. “It’s nothing to worry about.”

 

Jack blinked. “Okay, in _what_ universe do ‘containment breach’ and ‘nothing to worry about’ belong in the same sentence?”

 

To his surprise, Stark favored him with a grin. “Now that’s the sheriff I know.”

 

Jack scowled. “Seriously, Stark. I’m not in the mood to decipher the cryptic explanations. What happened?”

 

“There was a breach of the containment protocol for a new explosive, and it resulted in the mess you see before you,” Stark replied, waving at the smoke coming out of one of the labs and the bustling emergency responders. “There were some minor injuries, but no one was killed, which means that this was a good day.”

 

“A good day would be a day without explosions,” Jack muttered. “Do you need me here?”

 

“You may want to talk to the people responsible,” Stark replied. “But I’d suggest waiting until after they’ve been treated.”

 

Jack nodded. “Great. I’m supposed to see Henry anyway. I’ll talk to you later.”

 

As he stalked back down the hallway, Jack heard Stark’s voice call out behind him, “Have you changed your mind about me yet, Sheriff?”

 

“Jury’s still out,” Jack called back, not turning around, although he smiled. Apparently, _that_ had been what passed for a typical exchange between the two of them, at least until he’d lost his memory. Jack was beginning to understand Nathan’s warning now.

 

And yet, somehow, that didn’t change how attractive Nathan was.

 

Jack arrived at Henry’s lab, missing a step as the automatic door slid open. He still wasn’t used to that. “Henry?”

 

“Ah, Jack.” Henry greeted him with a smile. “I have some news for you.”

 

Jack tucked his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels. “Let’s hear it.”

 

“I should have the ATS set up to reverse the memory loss within the next couple of days,” Henry said enthusiastically. “Apparently, your mind took the problem posed by the ATS—losing those you cared about—and got around it by causing you to forget everything about the last two years.”

 

Jack nodded. “Okay, I guess that makes sense.”

 

“So, when you put the ATS back on, it should help you work through that block,” Henry continued.

 

Jack didn’t profess to be a genius, but even he could see the problem there. “That’s assuming that the ATS actually _helps_ this time.”

 

“Last time, the complications posed by your concussion caused unforeseen consequences,” Henry assured him. “Unless you end up with a head injury between now and then—and please tell someone if you do—it should work as expected.”

 

Jack took a deep breath. “What if—what if I don’t want my memory back?”

 

“Why wouldn’t you?” Henry asked, clearly surprised by the question.

 

Jack looked away. “I do. I mean, I’m going to go through with it. I just—it’s different now, and there are things—maybe things are better.”

 

Henry gave him a sharp look. “Does this have anything to do with Nathan?”

 

“Apparently, I hated him before,” Jack said, dodging the question. “And now—I don’t.” He hurried to add, “Plus, things with Zoe are really good right now, and I _know_ everybody keeps telling me that things were good before, but I don’t remember that.”

 

Henry rested his chin on his clasped hands. “You know, Jack, you have—in essence—two sets of experiences to draw from when making a decision about how to respond to the people around you. This is a unique opportunity.”

 

“Unique, how?” Jack asked, although he suspected that he already knew where Henry was going with this.

 

“Not everyone gets a chance to reevaluate a person or a relationship with a clean slate.” Henry leaned back. “We all make decisions—about others, about our relationships—based on that first moment we meet. We can all try to put it out of our minds, to operate without biases, but those impressions are always there.”

 

Jack took a deep breath. “So, you’re saying that my memories don’t matter.”

 

Henry smiled. “I’m saying that the context _for_ your memories has changed. And context is everything. Your relationship to Zoe, to Nathan or Allison or Jo, even to me, will be different, because the context surrounding your first meeting with each of us will have changed. Or, in Zoe’s case, your understanding of your relationship will have changed.”

 

Jack considered Henry’s words. “Can I ask you something?”

 

“Sure.”

 

“Does he deserve it?”

 

“Nathan has changed a lot in the last year,” Henry replied. “But whether he ‘deserves’ that sort of consideration is entirely up to you.” He stood up. “I’ll call you as soon as we’re set up, and we’ll see if we can’t give you a little more context.”

 

Henry’s words gave Jack a lot to think about, and he headed back to the infirmary to check in with the scientists who had caused the explosion.

 

The two primarily responsible for the mishap came clean immediately, each taking primary responsibility. People actually owning up to their mistakes was a novelty for Jack, and while they had broken the rules, no one had gotten hurt. Jack wasn’t certain that he could do much to punish them, and so he warned them not to do it again and turned to find Nathan watching them.

 

“Did you get what you came for, Sheriff?” Nathan asked.

 

“I have my answers. From what I understand, there’s nothing I can do to them.”

 

“You can make a recommendation to the director of GD,” Nathan suggested.

 

“Allison?”

 

“She’s the only one who can make a decision on their fates,” Nathan confirmed.

 

Jack frowned. “If that’s the case, what exactly is my purpose here?”

 

“You know, I ask myself the same question all the time,” Nathan replied with a smirk.

 

“Funny,” Jack replied. “I’ll talk to Allison, then. At least they admitted their mistake. That’s not something I’m used to.”

 

“I think you’ll find that most people around here are fairly forthcoming.” Nathan shoved his hands in his pockets. “And no one was badly hurt. That’s the important thing.”

 

“Are explosions so typical that you can be this casual about it?” Jack asked, a little frustrated by Nathan’s attitude.

 

Nathan sighed. “The price of progress—and sometimes, arrogance. Those responsible will be disciplined, and they won’t soon pull the same trick again.”

 

Jack nodded, glancing away. “Henry said he can reverse the effects. He told me to come back in a couple of days.”

 

“I’m sure you’ll be happy to have your memories back.”

 

Jack gave Nathan a sharp look, catching a hint of bitterness in his voice. “This last week matters to me,” he said softly. “What you’ve done matters. I don’t think that we can go back to the way we were before.”

 

Nathan frowned then reached out to grab Jack’s arm. “Come on.”

 

“Where are we going?”

 

“Show a little trust,” Nathan replied.

 

Jack kept quiet, deciding that he could give Nathan that much, and allowing himself to be led out of the infirmary. They stopped in an empty lab, where the equipment was covered in clear plastic.

 

“Okay, so what did you want to say to me that couldn’t be said in the infirmary?” Jack demanded.

 

Nathan stared at him. “Just this.”

 

Jack didn’t see it coming. Nathan bent his head, his kiss rough and demanding, hands gripping Jack’s shoulders hard. It took a moment for Jack to respond, but he did, giving as good as he got, nipping at Nathan’s lower lip.

 

“I wanted to give you something to think about,” Nathan said, his voice husky. “When you get your memory back, and you hate me again, you’ll remember this. We’ll both have a few sleepless nights, and we’ll go back to competing over Allison.”

 

Jack shook his head. “Allison? Okay, I’ll admit I’m interested, but I’m _more_ interested in you.”

 

“Tell me that again when you’ve got your memories back,” Nathan replied. “Then we’ll see where it goes.”

 

Jack watched him leave, leaning heavily against one of the nearby consoles. “Well, that’s definitely food for thought.”

 

~~~~~

 

Nathan didn’t look up from his computer when the door slid open. “What?”

 

“You did know that the lab—the empty lab—in Section 3 still has cameras, didn’t you?” Allison asked, sounding torn between amusement and annoyance.

 

His head shot up. “It’s an empty lab.”

 

Allison raised one perfect eyebrow. “With very expensive equipment. Plus, we have someone moving in there next week. You were copied on the email.”

 

He grimaced. “I’m sure I was. Was it marked important?”

 

“You probably should read the emails that aren’t marked important, too,” Allison replied. “I snagged the recording, and I have the only copy.” She handed him a disk in a sealed envelope. “You’re welcome.”

 

“Thank you.” Nathan tucked the disk in a drawer and made a mental note to dispose of it later. “This wasn’t how I wanted you to find out.”

 

“How would I have found out?” Allison asked, sitting down in the chair across from his desk, crossing her legs in an elegant movement.

 

Nathan winced. “You wouldn’t have, because once Jack gets his memories back, we would both forget it ever happened.”

 

Both eyebrows went up at that. “That’s it? How long has this been going on, Nathan?”

 

“It hasn’t.” Under Allison’s stern look, he amended, “You said it yourself, Allie. He’s different.”

 

“And you’re attracted to him.” She sighed. “How long?”

 

“You saw the beginning and the end of it,” Nathan replied. “When Jack gets his memories back, we’ll go back to normal.”

 

“You keep telling yourself that, Nathan.” Allison rose and came around the desk to press a kiss to his cheek. “Do something good for yourself, Nathan.”

 

Nathan waited until she was gone before locking the door and plugging the disk into his computer.

 

The camera didn’t have a very good angle, but Nathan could fill in the blanks from memory. He got a better glimpse of Jack’s face than his own, and the sheriff looked to be enjoying himself quite a bit.

 

Nathan hadn’t planned on ever telling Allison about what had happened with Jack. He hadn’t thought that it would go further than that room, and that moment.

 

Now that Allison knew, however, Nathan didn’t have much hope of ignoring it. She knew about his attraction to Jack, and Jack’s attraction to Nathan, and Allison wasn’t the sort to sweep things under the rug.

 

Even if Jack decided to forget everything about this past week, Nathan didn’t think Allison would allow it. She would know.

 

The dynamics had changed, he thought, and only time would tell if it was for better or for worse.

 

Nathan ejected the disk and broke it in half, then in half again, and threw the pieces in the trash, and then he went back to work. He had every intention of burying himself in work until all of this was over.

 

~~~~~

 

The only thing that would improve Café Diem, in Jack’s opinion, was a TV with some sort of sporting event playing. Jack had noticed that Eureka, in general, didn’t have much in the way for sports. Zoe and SARAH had filled him in on his attempt to form a baseball league—and as far as Jack was concerned, virtual baseball was a cheat. Didn’t they know that half the allure was in the scent of leather and freshly cut grass, and the warmth of the sun?

 

Jack wondered if, once he got his memories back, he would remember that there was someone he could talk sports with, other than Zoe.

 

Allison slid onto the stool next to Jack. “What are you doing here?”

 

He glanced over his shoulder, and Allison followed his gaze to Zoe, sitting at a table with another girl, homework spread out around them. “Zoe asked me to pick her up at 7, but they’ve hit a snag. I didn’t see the point of going home only to have to come back.”

 

“Makes sense,” Allison agreed, smiling at Vincent when he approached. “Can I get a glass of wine, and the lobster ravioli, Vincent? Dr. Young was raving about them earlier today.”

 

“Of course, Dr. Blake. Coming right up.”

 

Jack sipped his beer as Vincent hurried off.

 

“Did you already eat?” Allison asked.

 

“Not yet. I figured I’d wait for Zoe.” Since Allison looked as though she wanted to say something, but hadn’t yet, he prompted, “Something on your mind?”

 

“You do realize that there are cameras all over GD, right?” Allison asked.

 

Jack blinked as her meaning sank in. “Oh, crap.”

 

“I snagged the video and gave the hard copy to Nathan.” Allison accepted the glass of wine from Vincent. “I have to admit that I didn’t see this coming.”

 

“I asked Jo,” Jack began awkwardly. “If—you know. I was seeing anybody, and what our relationship was. Was—is there anything between us?”

 

Allison’s smile was gentle. “Friendship, and nothing more.”

 

“That’s what I thought.” Jack took another sip of his beer. “I wouldn’t have—”

 

“Nathan can be very persistent when he wants to be,” Allison interrupted. “Jack, I want both of you to be happy, but Nathan is not an easy person to live with.”

 

Jack chuckled. “Let me guess—he’s an arrogant workaholic with a short temper.”

 

Allison smiled. “How did you guess?”

 

“Abby said something similar about me.” Jack shrugged. “It takes one to know one.”

 

“You aren’t arrogant,” Allison offered.

 

Jack laughed. “That’s because I feel as though I’m completely out of my element in this town. Put me on the hunt for a dangerous fugitive, and maybe it would be different.”

 

“Maybe,” Allison acknowledged. “Henry tells me that he’s come up with a solution.”

 

“I have to admit that as much as I want my memories back, I’m not looking forward to using that thing again.”

 

“The ATS?”

 

“Yeah, that thing,” Jack agreed. “It’s what caused the problem to begin with, right?”

 

“It did, but it was never meant to,” Allison replied. “You’re going to be fine, Jack.”

 

“Sure.” He called up a smile for her. “I’ll be just fine.”

 

“Dad?” Zoe appeared next to his elbow. “If you want to stay…”

 

“No, I’m good.” Jack drained the rest of his beer. “Let’s get out of here.”

 

“Okay.” Zoe hitched her backpack a little higher on her shoulder. “Nice to see you, Dr. Blake.”

 

“It was nice to see you, too, Zoe,” Allison said with a smile. “I’ll see you soon, Carter.”

 

Jack smiled by way of a response and headed out to his Jeep. When Zoe climbed into the passenger seat, she asked, “So, Henry’s got a way to cure you, huh?”

 

“I don’t know,” Jack replied. “But I’m going to have to use the ATS again.”

 

Zoe grimaced. “I know you want to remember, but are you sure this is a good idea?”

 

“No,” Jack admitted. “But I don’t see another choice. There’s too much I’ve missed out on, like why you’ve decided you like me again.”

 

Zoe smirked. “That’s because you’re much cooler now.”

 

Jack snorted. “Uh huh.”

 

“You are,” Zoe protested. “Maybe you don’t remember, but I’ve been giving you lessons.”

 

He laughed. “I don’t think so.”

 

“It’s true!”

 

Jack just shook his head and laughed.

 

~~~~~

 

Nathan glanced at the clock for the third time in the last ten minutes. He knew that Jack had checked in around ten to use the reworked ATS, and it was nearly noon now. A few judicious questions from Nathan, and Henry had said that he expected the procedure to take an hour or two at the most.

 

He’d thought about finding an errand in the vicinity and checking on Jack’s progress, but had decided that he didn’t want to show his hand too early.

 

Jack knew how Nathan felt; he’d either come find him or he wouldn’t; Jack would decide that what had sprung up between them was worth pursuing, or he wouldn’t. Nathan refused to think about the future, or about the likely outcome.

 

In all probability, Jack would just forget it. Everything would go back to the way it was. End of story.

 

Nathan ignored his growling stomach and focused on the report he was writing. He had plenty to do, plenty of paperwork to keep him occupied. If he could clear his desk—

 

“Hey.”

 

Jack’s voice startled him out of his concentration. “J—Carter.”

 

“I think you can probably call me Jack,” the sheriff said as he stepped inside Nathan’s office. “Given what happened in that empty lab.” He plopped down in the seat across from Nathan’s desk.

 

Nathan frowned. “Your point being?”

 

“You said that when I had my memories back, I should come back and talk to you.” Jack leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “I’ve got my memories back.”

 

Nathan raised his eyebrows. “And?”

 

Jack smirked. “I should have known.”

 

“Known what?”

 

“That you were going to be an asshole about this.” Jack leaned back in his chair. “I told you, Nathan. Whatever happened, the fact is that you talked to Abby, and that’s why Zoe’s still in Eureka. I’m not going to forget that. So, if you want to make something of it, you can meet me at Café Diem for dinner tonight. If not…well, no harm done, right? Maybe I think you’re a decent guy under all the posturing, but that’s about it. I’ll be there at 7.”

 

Jack walked out of the office before Nathan could object, and he wondered what the hell he was supposed to do with that.

 

Nathan had every intention of allowing the invitation to pass unremarked. He had plenty to keep him busy; in fact, he could easily stay at GD all night. There was always more work to do than he had time to do it in.

 

And yet, at 6:45 Nathan found himself packing up, shutting down his computer and grabbing his bag. He managed to find a parking space right outside Café Diem, and he smoothed down his shirt as he climbed out of his car.

 

Jack stood inside, leaning against the bar, grinning at the five or six people surrounding him. Nathan paused to admire his easy posture and bright grin. Jack laughed at something one of the Baker twins said, then glanced over towards the door, catching sight of Nathan immediately.

 

Nathan took a deep breath and entered the café, finding a table in a corner and waiting for Jack to join him. As expected, it didn’t take long, and Jack slid into the seat across from Nathan with a grin and a low chuckle. “I guess there are a lot of people who wanted to talk to me once I got my memories back.”

 

“So it appears,” Nathan replied. On closer inspection, Jack appeared tired, the lines around his eyes and mouth deeper than usual, dark smudges under his eyes. “You’re tired.”

 

Jack shook his head. “It’s been a long day. I need to eat, though, and Zoe’s staying with a friend tonight.”

 

Nathan waved Vincent over. “Two specials to go,” he ordered, and added as an afterthought, “Please.”

 

“Right away, Dr. Stark.”

 

Jack raised his eyebrows. “What are you doing, Nathan?”

 

“We’re going to have a nice, quiet dinner away from the people who would be demanding your attention all evening.” Nathan leaned back in his chair. “Do you have a problem with that?”

 

Jack shook his head with a rueful smile. “No, actually. I may have all of my memories, but I don’t feel up to answering everyone’s questions yet.”

 

“You seemed to be doing just fine a few minutes ago,” Nathan replied.

 

Jack rubbed his eyes. “If it’s all the same to you, I’d rather not have to be competent for a while.”

 

“Does Deputy Lupo have on-call tonight?”

 

“Allison asked her to cover for me,” Jack admitted. “She wasn’t sure what the long-term effects of the ATS would be.”

 

“What happened?” Nathan asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

 

Jack yawned widely. “I had to go through the whole thing again—losing people, facing my fears, and when it was all over, I had my memories back, including the memories of the first trip through the rabbit hole.”

 

Vincent showed up with their meals in a couple of biodegradable containers. “Here you are, gentlemen. Do you need anything else?”

 

“I think we’ve got it,” Nathan replied. “Thank you.” Jack echoed him, and then followed Nathan out of Café Diem. “Normally, I’d suggest we walk, but I’m not sure you’d make it.”

 

“It’s debatable,” Jack agreed. “Don’t know that I’ll make it through dinner, actually. Maybe I should just go home.”

 

“Where anyone could find you?” Nathan asked archly. “There’s very little chance that people will figure out you’re at my place, Sheriff.”

 

“Good point.” Jack leaned his shoulder against the window as he turned to look at Nathan. “Why are you doing this?”

 

“Why are you?”

 

Jack gave him a dirty look. “I think I asked you first.”

 

“Are you twelve, Sheriff?” Nathan drawled.

 

“Are _you_?” Jack shot back and yawned again. “Fine. I got tired of wanting something I couldn’t have.”

 

“I’m touched to know that I was your second choice,” Nathan replied drily.

 

Jack snorted. “You didn’t even make the list of things I thought I could want, Stark.”

 

Nathan found the revelation absurdly gratifying, but he’s not ready to admit to that. “And what makes you think you can have me?”

 

“I think Allison gave you the hard evidence of that.”

 

Nathan coughed, feeling himself flush as he turned into his driveway. “She told you?”

 

“And wished me luck in a manner of speaking,” Jack replied, climbing out of the car slowly. “What about you? You were the one who started this.”

 

“It’s my job to take calculated risks,” Nathan replied. “I decided this one was worth it.”

 

Jack went silent at that, following Nathan into the house and taking a seat at the dining room table.

 

“How long?” Jack asked about halfway through the meal.

 

Nathan didn’t pretend not to understand. “Since Callister.”

 

Jack looked stunned. “I had no idea.”

 

“You weren’t supposed to.” Nathan waited for Jack to respond, but when he didn’t, Nathan prompted, “How long for you?”

 

“I told you, Nathan. You weren’t on my list of things to want.” At Nathan’s glare, Jack amended, “About a week. Since I woke up and you were there.”

 

“I see.”

 

Jack pushed his takeout container away from him. “So, what are we going to do about it?”

 

“If you’re finished with your dinner, I suggest that you go to bed,” Nathan replied. “To sleep,” he added when Jack’s eyebrows went up. “I don’t think you’re up for more than that tonight, and I have a guest room you can use.”

 

Jack smiled. “I’m not really going to need the guest room, am I?”

 

“It’s your move, Sheriff,” Nathan replied.

 

“Well, then,” Jack said slowly. “Let’s try this again now that I have all of my memories.”

 

Nathan remained seated, waiting for Jack to walk around the table. He gave Nathan a long, searching look before leaning down and touching his lips to Nathan’s. This kiss was softer, sweeter, less demanding; it was the sort of kiss that said they had all the time and all the privacy in the world.

 

Jack’s thumb caressed Nathan’s cheek, traced the outline of his beard, and landed on top of his pulse point. Nathan had to keep his head tilted at an awkward angle, but he ignored the discomfort. Jack pulled back, his lips tilted in a satisfied smile. “Yeah. I guess I still have a few moves.”

 

“More than a few,” Nathan replied hoarsely. “I suggest you get some rest, Jack. You’re going to need it.”

 

Jack grinned broadly. “I feel completely awake now. I think I’d like to take the opportunity to get to know you a little better, now that I have all the information.”

 

Nathan smirked. “I think that can be arranged.”

 

Maybe the dynamics had changed for the better after all.


End file.
